Press Release: Agriculture committee opposes national bans on Imports of GM food and feed

The European Parliament's agriculture committee rejected on 3 September 2015 the European Commission's proposal to give member states the power to restrict or prohibit the use of EU-approved GM food or feed on their territory.

The committee feared that arbitrary national bans could distort competition on the EU's single market and jeopardise the Union's food production sectors which are heavily dependent on imports of GM feed.

The committee's opinion was scrutinised by the environment committee on 13 October 2015. The draft proposal was also opposed by the members of this committee over concerns that the proposal might prove unworkable and lead to the reintroduction of border controls between pro and anti-GMO countries.

The recommendation was expected to be put to a vote at a plenary session of the European Parliament later in the month.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: GMO imports: MEPs object to draft law allowing national bans, call for plan B http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-gmo-imports-meps-object-to-draft-law-allowing-national-bans-call-for-plan-b/

EUObserver, 03.09.15: Agriculture MEPs call for rejection of GMO plan https://euobserver.com/environment/130100

European Parliament: Newsroom: Press Release, 13.10.15: Environment MEPs oppose national GMO import bans proposal http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20151012IPR97161/

ESO: Background information: 15 member states opt out of GMO culture http://www.europeansources.info/record/15-member-states-opt-out-of-gmo-culture/

European Parliament: Press Release, 13.10.15: Eight things you should know about GMOs http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20151013STO97392/

EurActiv, 14.10.15: MEPs reject GM crop compromise 'on technical grounds' http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/meps-reject-gm-crop-compromise-technical-grounds-318482

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